PM Modi launches projects worth over Rs 13,000 crore in Chennai, highlights jobs and connectivity
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday laid foundation stones, inaugurated and dedicated development projects worth over ₹13,000 crore in Chennai, saying the initiatives would improve daily travel,...
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday laid foundation stones, inaugurated and dedicated development projects worth over ₹13,000 crore in Chennai, saying the initiatives would improve daily travel, strengthen industry and trade, and create employment opportunities across Tamil Nadu.
Calling the occasion a historic day for the state, PM Modi said the projects reflected the Centre’s commitment to Tamil Nadu’s development and its role in building a developed India.
The programme included the dedication of another stretch of the Chennai Metro and the foundation stone laying for an advanced lubricant base oil project. PM Modi also inaugurated and laid foundation stones for rail and road projects.
PM Modi said urban development was a major priority and described urbanisation as an opportunity, with public transport central to improving people’s ease of living. Widening roads alone was insufficient, he said, stressing the need for holistic infrastructure in modern cities.
He noted that metro services had expanded from five Indian cities in 2014 to 25, while the national network had grown from around 250 kilometres to more than 1,100 kilometres.
The Chennai Metro expansion would make journeys easier and quicker for residents, working families, students and senior citizens, PM Modi said.
Highlighting manufacturing, the Prime Minister said the Centre was strengthening the entire production chain, from components and technology to finished products. Make in India and Vocal for Local were also benefiting Tamil Nadu’s industries, he added.
India had become the world’s second-largest mobile phone manufacturer, while electronics exports had increased elevenfold and defence exports fiftyfold since 2014, PM Modi said. Engineering exports had also reached a new record.
The Prime Minister credited Tamil Nadu’s people with making a significant contribution to this growth, which he said had generated lakhs of direct and indirect jobs nationally.
The advanced lubricant base oil project would create employment and help reduce imports, he said. Strong manufacturing required roads, railways and ports to move raw materials and finished goods, while infrastructure construction itself generated work for engineers, technicians and labourers.
It also created opportunities in cement, steel and equipment manufacturing, including smaller businesses. Once completed, improved connectivity helped industries and services expand, PM Modi said.
On maritime infrastructure, the Prime Minister referred to the Centre’s recent decision to develop VOC Port in Thoothukudi into a world-class mega container and green energy hub with an investment of around ₹17,000 crore.
The project would enable ultra-large container vessels to access the port and help position Tamil Nadu as a global hub for industry and transport, he said.
PM Modi added that improvements in the speed and efficiency of Indian ports had halved vessel turnaround time, allowing Indian products to reach international markets faster.
He also highlighted support for fishing communities, saying projects worth thousands of crores of rupees had been approved for Tamil Nadu under the PM Matsya Sampada Yojana and other schemes.
These included improvements to fishing harbours, development of fish landing centres, cold-chain facilities and assistance to purchase vehicles for transporting fresh fish.
The Centre was supporting the modernisation of Chennai Fishing Harbour and the development of a seaweed park in Tamil Nadu, the Prime Minister said. Kisan Credit Cards were also helping fishermen access working capital more easily.
PM Modi said India’s fish production had risen rapidly and seafood exports had reached their highest levels in both quantity and value last year, benefiting fishing families and coastal communities.
Reflecting on completing 25 years as head of government, PM Modi said his experience as Chief Minister and Prime Minister had strengthened his faith in the people and cooperative federalism.
He recalled taking oath as Chief Minister in October 2001 and said he had consistently followed the principle that national development depended on the development of states.
PM Modi referred to his interactions with former Tamil Nadu chief ministers Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa during his tenure as Chief Minister, and his subsequent work as Prime Minister with Jayalalithaa, O. Panneerselvam, E. Palaniswami and M. K. Stalin.
Governments had changed, but his commitment to Tamil Nadu’s development remained unwavering, he said, adding that the Centre was now working with Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to advance the state’s progress.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi visited the Brain Research Centre at IIT Madras, where he said research could open new opportunities in public health. He also offered prayers at the Jalakandeswar Temple.
Describing his experiences “from the temple to the metro” as reflecting the spirit of contemporary India, PM Modi said the country was drawing strength from its cultural heritage, advancing through science and creating opportunities through modern infrastructure.
PM Modi assured Tamil Nadu of the Centre’s continued support and called for collective efforts to realise the vision of a developed India through a developed Tamil Nadu.
He also extended Navratri greetings and paid tribute to Bharat Ratna Jayaprakash Narayan and Bharat Ratna Nanaji Deshmukh on their birth anniversaries, saying their lives inspired greater dedication to national service.
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